Revenge is Enticing
by MidnightEden234
Summary: He would pay for betraying his family. He would suffer for making the Shiba's fall. Isshin hasn't escaped his past as much as he would like to think. His family couldn't disguise him any longer, nor could Ichigo protect him without the truth. It was time for Isshin to stand up to his nightmare of a past and face the secret he fears the most, the monster within his son.
1. Prologue

**Merry Christmas to all, this is your Christmas present!**

 **Please enjoy!**

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It was a normal day at the Kurosaki clinic, except that Yuzu and Karin had the day off from school. Yuzu was busy preparing lunch while Karin was doing homework. Isshin didn't mind, it wasn't like they were particularly busy with patients that day. No one was sick or hurt, and he had the day with his daughters. What more could Isshin Kurosaki ask for?

"Yuzu~ how's the cooking going my wonderful daughter?" Isshin called through the hallway.

Yuzu's tiny voice answered, "Lunch is almost done, daddy! Thirty more minutes! And supper can go in the oven once I'm done!"

Isshin smiled, and took a minute to remind himself that he was the adult in the house. He asked, "Do you need any help?"

"No, daddy!" Yuzu replied. Of course, Masaki was Yuzu's mother and she'd taught their little girl all she needed to know about cooking, so there wasn't a need for Isshin to worry.

Suddenly there was a loud ringing that sounded throughout Isshin's office. He picked up the phone and was about to speak when the person on the other end interrupted him, "Is this Isshin?"

"Yes…" Isshin murmured. "And who is this?"

"I don't have time to introduce myself," the voice sounded somewhat panicked. "You have roughly a half an hour to prepare your clinic for a patient. He's quite important to me, please be ready."

The phone went dead. Of course, Isshin didn't hesitate to prepare a bed and possible medical instruments before the half hour was up. Once Yuzu called for lunch, sirens could be heard outside.

"Yuzu, honey, Daddy's going to be a little busy! Keep his food warm!"

Isshin didn't wait for a response. He ran out to assess the damage, his robe and gloves already on. He listened carefully as the nurse described what had happened, and to Isshin it sounded like some sort of car crash. He was prepared for this, what he hadn't expected was who he found lying in the ambulance. Isshin had to force his body to move, even in the shock of seeing Ichigo bloodied and bruised. He could vaguely sense that the wounds went into Ichigo's soul, whoever did this used a spiritual attack.

Isshin wheeled Ichigo inside. He heard Yuzu and Karin's voices. "Is that Ichigo!? Daddy, what happened? Is he going to be alright?"

Isshin put on a poker face, especially when he was forced to operate on his own son.


	2. Broken

**Yes, a super fast update~ It's the holidays dear readers, and I've had this story ready to go for a while! :D**

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There was a subtle beep echoing off the walls. The sound came from a monitor connected to a boldly displayed chest, rippling with lean muscles and smooth, tan skin. Flat orange hair molded around a sweat stained forehead, the usual spiky mayhem was now nothing more than a greasy and tangled mess.

Every time Isshin observed one of Ichigo's stitches, he was reminded of the tools he had to use in order to patch up his own son. It was something he never thought he'd have to do, operate on his own son, and Isshin was still shaking. He sighed, breaking the rhythmic beeping in the room. At least Isshin knew Ichigo's heart was fine.

 _"He's a fast healer, Isshin,"_ Kisuke had reassured him on the telephone this morning. _"You have nothing to worry about, but just in case I'll be over there this afternoon to check up on him."_

The door opened with a soft jingle. Even the smallest change in sounds startled the worried sick father to the point that Isshin's hand was reaching for his hilt out of instinct. Isshin grasped at cloth, obviously not in his soul form, just as his eyes landed on Kisuke Urahara who was now standing in the doorway.

"Old friend… please, come sit down," Isshin murmured. He raised a tired arm and gestured to a chair in the corner of the room, only a meter or so from the chair Isshin had been sitting in.

Kisuke's lips curved downward, and his frown only deepened after noticing the thick bags under Isshin Kurosaki's eyes. It was obvious the X-Shinigami had not been sleeping at all. "I'm afraid I won't be able to sit, Isshin. I've discovered something important on your son's… on _Ichigo's_ x-rays." Kisuke placed a thumb and finger on his hat and tilted it downward, giving the man of the house a slight bow of respect. He was afraid that all the news he'd brought with him was bad.

"Tell me whatever it is that you've come to tell me. I don't have time to waste, Kisuke." Isshin's voice was oddly serious. Kisuke noticed that all of the man's joy had been drained out. What a truly devoted father Isshin was.

"You were right about the initial attack." Kisuke removed a large envelope from his robes and pinned them against several white sheets of plastic. Kisuke plugged something in and the plastic lit up, helping to form a make-shift x-ray examination room. "Whoever attacked your son did so with the intention of killing him. He must have access to the spirit world because his first blow was indeed done with reiatsu."

Isshin inched closer to Ichigo, placing his hand over top of his son's. Ichigo's skin was red hot due to some illness caused by an infection. Isshin should have been more careful with the operation, even though Kisuke insisted that the virus was caused by something else, Isshin couldn't help but to blame himself for how poorly he'd handled the situation.

"Whoever did this left a message."

The X-Shinigami's head snapped up with an intense speed. He gripped Kisuke by the collar and only let go once he finished his first question. "If they'd intended to kill Ichigo, then who was the message for? What do you know, Kisuke? And where is the message? Did the attacker contact you?"

"Slow down, slow down…" Kisuke moved back towards the x-rays once his clothing had been released from Isshin's grasp. He pointed towards an x-ray of Ichigo's chest. "I configured the machine to detect spirit-only wounds. Those were the lightest, and were the ones the attacker intended to be seen only by someone in the Soul Society. As you can see, these wounds appear like dots." Kisuke grabbed a marker and circled each wound with red. He then exchanged his red marker for a blue one. "It took me a long time, but I eventually figured out the intended pattern."

As Kisuke connected the dots, Isshin's face slowly scrunched up in anger. "What the hell is that supposed to mean!? ' _REVENGE IS IN MOTION'?_ "

"It means someone from the old days is back. Someone who doesn't know about Ichigo's powers and yet knows he's connected to a spiritual being. Can you think of anyone you used to know who could do this?"

Isshin shrugged desperately, "One of Aizen's followers? Or maybe it was someone from Xcution?"

Kisuke shook his head and Isshin soon realised his mistake.

"You said they intended to kill Ichigo?" Isshin marched around Ichigo's bed in order to get a closer look at the x-rays. "In that case… why leave a message? If they weren't targeting Ichigo then they must be sending a message to the Soul Society. But if they knew about Ichigo's connection to the Soul Society then wouldn't they know about his status as a Substitute Shinigami?"

Slowly the sound of Kisuke's sigh filled the room. "Isshin, I believe the intended recipient of the message was you."

"I was afraid you'd say that." Isshin reached behind him for a chair. Once he'd confirmed the location of the resting point in his head, he all but collapsed into a broken heap on the chair. "Even if that was true… I still don't know anyone who'd do this. I broke my ties will everyone in the Soul Society. They all think I'm dead, except for Aizen who's untrustworthy and locked away."

"There's your Quincy friend…"

"Ishida? No, he would never do something like this. If he wanted revenge he wouldn't go after Masaki's child but instead come directly to me." Isshin's hand began to glow. He placed it on Ichigo's wound, "This reiatsu is familiar, I think. It definitely belongs to a Soul Reaper and not a Quincy."

 ** _"You scum…"_**

Kisuke and Isshin took a large step away from Ichigo. They flinched at that voice, and how it undeniably belonged to Ichigo's Hollow.

 ** _"How could you… hurt King? You're his father…"_** Something was wrong, even with the Hollow. He sounded as though he'd been impacted by the attack too. It might've been a result of Ichigo being so deeply unconscious. The Hollow's words belonged only to his instinct.

"I didn't do it." Isshin defended sternly. He discarded his shock and took the opportunity to try and get some answers. "Did you see who did this?"

Silence, and then a pained mumble, **_"Of course not… I'm only complete lock down in here. Whoever attacked Ichigo had Spiritual Pressure similar to yours. Theirs is heavier, closed off and almost broken."_**

"How do we know we can trust you?" Kisuke murmured, his own curiosity getting the best of him.

There was mad laughter, and Ichigo's lips contorted into a grin. **_"Like yer one to talk, Urahara. Unlike Ichigo who's so painfully oblivious to everything, I know the truth about both of ya. Funny how I became the only one who's never lied to Ichigo…"_**

And like that, Ichigo's head lolled to the side and the grin faded.

"Isshin-"

"That Hollow was right," Isshin muttered. "My past has something to do with this. All the lies and secrets I've kept from my family, and also made myself forget, have returned to haunt me. I'm going to tell Ichigo the truth once he wakes up, I'll answer any of his questions. For now, however, I need to go visit my old home."

Kisuke sighed, "Very well. I'll get a Senkaimon ready for you. It'll drop you off right at the Shiba's current residence."


	3. Face to Face

**'Tis that time again, readers!**

 **I am asking for your criticism! Those of you who have been following me for a while, has my writing stile improved? And those of you new to my stories, do you like the way I write? If you've answered no to either of these questions, please provide me with ways I can improve!**

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 **I hope I can continue providing you all with good entertainment, and that I can continue to improve throughout the year.**

 **Also, I've applied for college, wish me luck!**

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Ichigo, with both eyes shut, had been listening to the whole conversation going on between his father and Kisuke. He heard shuffling and rattling as his father frantically collected some things from the medicine cabinets and drawers. Ichigo was left in total silence, besides his heart monitor, when his father left with Kisuke. The orangette sat up, groaning as pain shot all over his body.

 ** _'If it hurts, why are you moving?'_**

Ichigo had to resist the urge to scream (and jump) when he heard the Hollow's voice in his head. He hadn't expected to hear _that_ voice again so soon. Ichigo attempted pushing the Hollow's presence back, but he didn't have the strength. He caught his breath, just sitting up was hard, before he responded, _'The hell do you care?'_

 ** _'Well, duh, cause it's my body too.'_** Sensing Ichigo was satisfied with that answer, he added, **_'So, yer dad is sneaking around with Kisuke, eh? What do you think they're up to?'_**

 _'None of my damn business, that's what. Or yours for that matter.'_

His Hollow laughed. **_'I can feel your curiosity, King. It'll drive ya mad if you don't investigate.'_**

 _I must already be mad if I'm talking to you,_ Ichigo thought to himself. He ignored the Hollow and worked himself up onto his feet. He winced as pain shot up his legs, but decided it would be better than laying in bed doing nothing. Ichigo limped his way to the far closet where his dad stored the crutches. It was much easier to walk with the support. Taking a glance around, Ichigo discovered it was still morning, meaning Karin and Yuzu would not yet be home from school. School; damn, that was another thing to add to Ichigo's anxiety. He slid on his coat and shoes then slipped out, locking the door behind him.

 ** _'Just a quick question… If yer not curious as to what happened, then where are ya goin'?'_**

Ichigo rolled his eyes. _'You're in my head. Read my thoughts or something and quit talking to me.'_

 ** _'Aww, but K-i-ng, it's so boring in here!'_** The Hollow whined. Ichigo sighed and leaned his forehead down against his crutch. He waited in silence for his headache, and the annoying Hollow who caused it, to vanish. Once they did, Ichigo pushed on up the road.

Once he reached the bridge, he saw bright yellow tape surrounding the area where he'd had the accident. So much for getting any answers now. He was about to turn around and go home when a spiritual pressure filled the air that was undeniably similar to his father's. Ichigo thought maybe, just _maybe,_ this was what his father felt like in a spirit form, but then again no one he knew had spiritual pressure that changed so drastically between human and spirit form.

So then, what was this pressure?

Suddenly every fiber in his being was screaming at him to run. Run he did. For once his survival instincts overrode his logic, his will to live took over instead of his will to learn more. He understood now why that spiritual pressure was so familiar, it was the same as what had attacked him.

Something was wrong though. The spiritual pressure wasn't coming from a single spot, but rather it was coming from the ground. It was as if the ground itself was alive and after him. Ichigo leapt from the ground, sliding his arm through a gap in the crutch in order to free his hands to latch onto a ladder. Ichigo began to climb the old rusted thing, praying it wouldn't detach from the wall. He was almost to the top when he was pulled from the ladder and thrown against the opposing wall. A man held Ichigo by the collar of his shirt and had him pinned.

"You're Isshin's son, but you're human…"

Ichigo clawed furiously at the man's grip, noticing the sound of his crutches hitting the pavement below.

"No…" The man leaned back, as if sizing Ichigo up. The orangette was allowed air. "I can sense the power your soul possesses, boy. And you look strong, like a Soul Reaper."

"Let me go!"

The man grinned. "I hardly think that'll be possible. Now shut up, I'm not done speaking. Your eyes have seen grave conflict, and you aren't scared of me at all. You've experienced true fear. And you survived my previous attack, which is precisely what I'd expect from someone of my clan."

Ichigo had ceased struggling by now. Even with all his strength, he couldn't break free from the man in this condition. He settled on glaring at the stranger, at least the man would know he wasn't giving in.

"Your eyes are quite powerful indeed. I'd certainly like to see you at your strongest… however, the longer I examine you the more I come to despise you. You, boy, of royal blood, tainted by something as filthy as a demon… I can feel it, crawling around inside of you. It's pathetic, really, my brother marrying a fucking Hollow."

Ichigo's eyes widened and his grip on the man's arm tightened. Just what was this man saying!? How dare he insult his mother that way!

"You're surprised; your eyes betray your emotions to me. Really, you should learn to be more level headed." Ichigo was thrown down into a dumpster. He let out a cry of pain as he landed back first, the wind escaping his lungs. Something dug painfully into his side, possible shattered glass. "Since you obviously don't seem to know, allow me to explain. Your father is – or _was_ – a member of the honoured Shiba clan. After news got out about Isshin's humiliating actions, our entire clan was banished from the Seireitei. I presumed Isshin dead, until the day you marched in to the Soul Society. You looked so very much like Kaien, and your Zanpakuto… Zangetsu, is it? Everything about you screams _Shiba._ "

Ichigo spat blood from his lips. "Don't talk like you know me. If you think you can turn me against my father then you're wasting your time!"

The man shook his head in amusement. "Oh hardly… I know how stubborn you are, Ichigo. Instead, I'm going to kill you. Then I'm going to kill your sisters. I'll take everything from your father, just like he took everything from me!"

 _Shit!_ Ichigo shut his eyes and tried to will his soul to separate from his body. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he braced himself for the worst. When no pain came, he opened his eyes and saw a flash of red. He recoiled and blinked hard, then focused his sights on his father's face. He smiled and slowly slipped into unconsciousness. The last thing he saw was Kisuke clashing with the stranger.


	4. Isshin Leaving

Ichigo woke to be immediately brought into a suffocating hug from his father. "Are you insane!? What were you thinking, going out there all alone?" Isshin scolded harshly.

"It's never been an issue before." Ichigo's face conceived a scowl and he pushed his father away. "I was thinking I needed a walk!"

"While someone was after you!?"

"I didn't know anyone was after me!" Ichigo snapped, "I was hit by a _car_ Dad!"

"You should've waited until I got back!"

"I can take care of myself!"

Kisuke stepped in, "Isshin you should go, let me talk to Ichigo. _Now._ "

Isshin hesitantly removed himself from the scene. Kisuke took a seat at the end of Ichigo's hospital bed. Before the mad blonde could ask any questions, Ichigo spoke up, "Actually, I was… hit by a train. I know it sounds insane, but after thinking it over… There was a loud whistle, and that grinding sound the wheels make."

Kisuke thought about this information for a short moment. If there was anyone Ichigo knew who wouldn't dismiss any information, as odd as it may be, it was Kisuke. "That may be his technique."

"Who is he?" Ichigo questioned. He was fine with his father making a huge fuss over him, Ichigo was the son of a doctor after all, but Ichigo never liked being in the dark about something he needed to know. That time with Aizen was different. His objective was to stop Aizen at all costs. He knew his enemy well enough to get the picture. However, this new guy, claiming to be Isshin's brother… Ichigo needed more information if he was going to be able to fight him. And being a burden on his family made his skin itch like nothing else.

"Doesn't matter…" The truth was Kisuke didn't know for sure himself. Isshin was after his time, as was anyone of Isshin's generation in the soul society. Of course, Kisuke had his own history with Isshin, involving many different matters, but none of it related to Isshin's past, only his present.

Isshin overheard and interrupted Ichigo before he could persist, "I want you to drop the matter and focus on getting better. This is my burden, Ichigo, and I no longer want to see you get hurt because of my actions."

Ichigo was going to protest anyway, but Isshin cut him off again.

"If you really want to help me so badly then stay in bed where you're safe, that's my condition." Ichigo looked away, but slowly nodded. "Thank you, Ichigo… I know this hard for you. I also don't want you going to school until more of your wounds heal. You can call… who's the boy, Uryu Ishida? I'm sure he'd be willing to bring you your work." Isshin gestured for Kisuke to leave, and they exited the room together.

Ichigo reluctantly gave in to his father's demands then called up Uryu.

No sooner than an hour later did Uryu appear at the door. Isshin let him in and showed Uryu to Ichigo's room. Then Isshin said he had urgent business to attend to, and that was the last Ichigo would hear from his father for a long time. He just didn't know it yet…

"Hey, Kurosaki," Uryu greeted coldly.

"Ishida," Ichigo replied just as casually.

Uryu placed his hand on the flat of the door. "Boy, your father is sure going to extensive lengths to keep you from leaving this room. He's warded the door. Smart, considering we all know you're the idiot who goes looking for trouble."

"Shut up," Ichigo huffed, not exactly enjoying what Uryu was implying. "What did I miss?"

"Not as much as I did, apparently," Uryu said as he grabbed the chair from Ichigo's desk and rolled it around to the side of Ichigo's bed. He didn't bother turning it around to face forward; instead he sat on it backwards with his arms folded across the back and one leg on either side. "What happened to you?"

"Someone attacked me." Ichigo glanced out the window as Uryu got comfortable in his seat. "I don't think they'll come after Orihime, Chad or anyone at school, but you should be careful. He didn't seem to like me very much, so he might go after them to draw me out… His real goal is my dad."

Uryu sighed and removed one arm from the chair to push up his glasses. "You couldn't have called me all the way down here just to warn me… what do you want?"

"Besides my school work?" Ichigo half smirked, "Dad won't let me out of the clinic. I want you to watch out for the others, but don't tell them what's happened to me. Say I'm sick or something. Just cover for me." Ichigo felt his stomach flip as he thought about what else he wanted to say. He really felt really guilty for asking this of Uryu, but he couldn't help himself, "I want you to gather as much information as you can about this new guy and his beef with my Dad. You're good at sneaking around."

"I wouldn't call it sneaking around," Uryu muttered, obviously offended. "Just because I have superior control over my Spiritual Pressure than you do…"

"Call it whatever you want then!" Ichigo sighed, "Dad's not telling me anything. He's been avoiding my questions so far. Kisuke is doing the same."

"Right, so, I'm supposed to gather information about your dad without asking him or Urahara. Both of which are probably the only valid sources of information I can think of besides asking the guy after you. Are you aware of how crazy you sound?"

Ichigo grinned, "Absolutely! Good luck!"

Uryu groaned in annoyance. He left a text book and a pile of papers by Ichigo's bed. "Have fun being a prisoner, and a normal person, Kurosaki. I'll let you know when I find something."

Ichigo glanced at the pile of homework. He sighed and started on an essay that was apparently due in a few days. Luckily for him, written on the assignment in bright red letters was _'Take as long as you need, Ichigo! You can have an extended due date because of – well – whatever it is you have that Uryu isn't sure about himself!'_

Ichigo rolled his eyes. He spent some time wondering if Uryu was a mind reader before he started on the assignment. Soon he was too exhausted to move a pencil and he passed out.

Isshin entered not too long after Ichigo had fallen asleep. He frowned at the obvious signs of Ichigo pushing himself too hard; the text book sprawled open, the jot notes that filled several pages, the crumpled rough copies on the floor and the millions of sticky notes all over everything. He cleaned it up and placed it aside, then placed a caring hand on Ichigo's forehead.

"Oh my boy… I'm so sorry for everything." He brushed Ichigo's hair from his face and placed an ice pack wrapped in a towel on Ichigo's forehead to help with the fever. "I don't regret anything, least of all having you for a son. Sometimes I wonder if your life would be easier had you been born into someone else's family. I can't change the past, but I can do something now to help save what family I have left. I'll be gone for a few days, and I know that you'll take good care of the girls and that they'll take good care of you."

That morning, Yuzu discovered a note. She ran as fast as she could to Ichigo's room, shouting his name and shaking him to wake him up. "ICHI-NII! Look what daddy left! What does he mean?"

Ichigo blinked into consciousness. He read the words being held in front of his face,

 _Hello sweetums!  
_ _(And I don't mean Ichigo who shouldn't be reading this because he should be in bed!)  
_ _Daddy's going to be on a trip for a few weeks!  
_ _There's plenty of food in the fridge, and the neighbors will offer any help you need!  
_ _Love, daddy~_

Ichigo sighed, "It means Dad's on a business trip. He probably won't be back for a couple of weeks. Don't lose your mind over this. It's not the first time he's left us alone."


	5. Who to Trust

3 Days Later

"Kurosaki!"

Ichigo twitched in his dreamless sleep.

"Kurosaki, wake up!"

Ichigo rolled onto his side.

"Damn it, Ichigo! Wake up!"

Ichigo's eyes snapped open and his sight solidified onto Uryu. "What is it? What time is it?"

"11:00 pm. I just saw your Dad go into Urahara's shop. He's left for the Soul Society."

Ichigo sat up and winced at his injuries. "Wh-What?"

"I couldn't get too close, or else they'd sense me. I'm not sure if Urahara hasn't already caught on to me following them around." Uryu sighed to calm himself. "That doesn't matter. I overheard them talking about going to visit… well, Isshin said they were his nieces and nephews. So I guess, your cousins."

Ichigo blinked, hard. He'd never really thought about having extended family beyond his mother and father. He'd always assumed his grandparents had died before he was born, or live very far away. "Who?"

"Kukaku… and Ganju."

Ichigo was still for a few minutes, not entirely believing what his ears perceived as truth.

"It would explain your many similarities with the two of them."

"What similarities!? I am nothing like those two!"

Uryu sighed in a _is-it-not-obvious_ sort of way, "I could easily list ten things-"

"Do it then, wise guy!"

After gritting his teeth in annoyance, Uryu spat out, "You're stubborn, and loud! Not to mention annoying and pushy! You all have the same eyes, and family seems very important to all members of the Shiba's! You each have crazy ideas that you push onto other people, leaving them with no other choice! You're all bossy, yet you start to cower as soon as someone you care about gets mad at you-"

"ALRIGHT! I get it!" Ichigo sighed and crossed his arms, "but if you really noticed these things before, then why didn't you say anything?"

"One, you never asked. Two, I thought it was coincidence until now, when there's enough evidence to form a solid case."

Ichigo was mostly unamused. "You'd make a great lawyer."

"If you don't want my help-"

"I do! It's fine! I'm sorry!"

Uryu pushed his glasses further up his nose. Ichigo assumed it was some sort of intimidation (or coping with idiot's) technique. Then Uryu placed something on the dresser across the room. "When you can stand on your own to get this, you can have it. Until then you're too injured."

Ichigo's eyes widened when he saw what it was. In the reflection of the mirror, which was angled to the top of the dresser, was his Substitute Shinigami badge. He didn't know how Uryu found it, but now he was starting to get annoyed with how well his Quincy friend knew him.

"Try whatever you want, but I'm not handing it over to you."

"You suck, you know that?" Ichigo shuffled to the edge of the bed and reached as far as he could, the dresser beyond his fingertips. He groaned in pain and had to move back to the bed.

"You're hurt. There's no way I'm letting you do anything if you can't even walk." Uryu moved towards the door. "I'll be back when I have more information. Get some rest, Ichigo."

Ichigo stiffened at the sound of his name. He hated to admit it, but he knew Uryu was right. Ichigo was of little use if he couldn't fight, and he was of no use if he was dead. He definitely did _not_ want anyone else seeing him like this...

Ichigo noticed that Uryu had left. Maybe he'd consider calling Orihime in the morning. He did recall his dad saying something about these wounds being unhealable, otherwise Isshin would've used Kido before now… It was worth a try, at least. Sitting in bed was too slow of a healing process for Ichigo's liking.

 ** _'Tch…'_**

Ichigo flinched, having forgotten about his Hollow's sudden reappearance. _'I thought you were gone.'_

 ** _'You thought wrong.'_**

Ichigo sighed and shut his eyes. He wasn't in the mood to deal with his Hollow right now, and last time a combination of ignoring him and wishing he was gone seemed to have worked.

Apparently the Hollow had different plans. **_'King, I've been thinking…'_**

 _'That's never a good sign.'_

 ** _'Wanna be enemies again, King? In that state taking over your body wouldn't be too hard!'_**

As if to prove his point, Ichigo's right arm suddenly started moving of its own accord. Ichigo's eyes snapped open and he was now completely alert and awake. His arm moved towards his neck, and fingers slowly dug into his skin before he regained control again. Then all of a sudden Ichigo felt dizzy. His head fell back onto his pillow and pitch black tendrils crawled across his eyes.

Ichigo tried to scream as his world succumbed to darkness, but his voice wouldn't work.

His vision slowly returned to him, and Ichigo found himself in a familiar place: his inner world. The blue skyscrapers would be comforting had his inverted reflection not been standing before him.

"What do you want?" Ichigo growled, all his muscles tensing up despite the pain it caused him.

 ** _"To chat, is that so bad?"_** The Hollow sat down and crossed his legs. **_"I ain' here t'hurt ya, King. Fighting against ya is no fun if yer hurt, and I already know you can beat me at full strength. So, you and I are at an impasse."_**

Ichigo sat down. The relief it brought to his wounds was greatly welcomed. "Seems like I have no reason to be here."

That all too familiar grin spread across the Hollow's cheeks, and Ichigo found himself instinctually moving his hand towards his Zanpakuto. **_"Except that I have what ya want."_**

Ichigo froze, "And what would that be?"

A blue tongue traced the curve of the hollow's lips. **_"I can heal ya."_**

As good as that sounded, Ichigo wasn't about to let his guard down. "…what's the catch?"

The Hollow released a distorted chuckle. **_"Well, since yer not exactly going to trust me any time soon, I guess I'll have to let you borrow my power… It would be quicker, though, if ya let me take over-"_**

"Yeah, right!" Ichigo began pushing for himself to return to the real world. "Like I'm ever going to trust you to do anything with my body! After last time… you nearly killed Uryu, and Orihime."

The Hollow rolled his eyes, **_"I also brought you back from the dead, twice. So yer welcome fer that, Ichigo."_** Ichigo wasn't particularly fond of the way his name sounded coming from the Hollow. **_"And that… wasn't exactly me. I told you that if you die, so do I. All that was left was instinct."_**

Ichigo shifted uncomfortably. "Even if what you're telling me is true, why should I trust you? You've taken over my body before then, and I know it was you in control. You nearly killed Byakuya…"

 ** _"If ya don't want my help, then fine. I don't want anything else but to help ya, King. I can't stand all this lying around either. It's boring; you haven't had a good fight in months."_**

Ichigo sighed and looked away. "I'll consider it, but that's all! Don't get any ideas!"

The Hollow watched his King leave with a happy smirk. He murmured to himself, **_"Ya don't have to worry about me. The end result of this deal is all that I'm after…"_**


	6. The True Ichigo

**Hello everyone! If you have a moment, I'd like to ask for you all to check out my original story, "Skykaila". You can find it on taskey, wattpad and inkitt! Thank you!**

 **Also, happy birthday to our Ichi-berry! :D July 15th**

* * *

Ichigo couldn't… no, Ichigo _wouldn't_ believe that he was _actually_ considering his Hollow's offer. What on earth was wrong with him!? He'd been so tormented and tempted by the Hollow, it had caused him to lose sleep for nearly two nights. He had to admit, the thought of being able to heal himself instantly was appealing, but the thought of letting the Hollow take over, _that_ was a sure as hell no.

It was another week before there was a knock at the door. "Kurosaki… more homework."

Ichigo groaned as Uryu plopped a pile of papers beside him on the bed. Despite his obvious displeasure at doing work, Ichigo welcomed the distraction from his racing thoughts.

"Also, Rukia found something."

Ichigo blinked, "Wait… Rukia? Did you tell her?"

Uryu shrugged, "I don't know what else I was supposed to do! Rukia is our only link to the Soul Society… besides Urahara and Renji, but Urahara is obviously out of the question and Renji can't keep his mouth shut. Rukia's better than him at keeping a secret."

"Yeah, better than you too apparently…" Ichigo muttered.

"What was that?" Uryu questioned, raising his eyebrow. Ichigo went silent and Uryu scoffed, "Yeah, that's what I thought. Anyways… Rukia dug up some information on the Shiba-clan. Apparently there's very few of them remaining, but… Well…" Uryu reached into his bag and yanked out a folded sheet of paper.

Ichigo unfolded it and looked it over. Apparently there were quite a few Shiba's still alive. There was Kokoro Shiba, who was the first born of triplets. She was the oldest sister. Then there was Zuno Shiba, the middle of the three and the only boy. Lastly there was Shinzui Shiba, who was the youngest sister. The paper said that these three were the elders of the Shiba-clan, but they no longer ran it.

"Wow… This is insane…" Ichigo murmured beneath his breath.

He continued to read on. Beneath the three elders was a long list of dead Soul Reapers. There he found a name that he recognized. He read the information to Uryu, " _Isshin Shiba, born to Aki Yuki, and brother to Jinsei Shiba. Isshin was captain of the 10_ _th_ _division when his Spiritual Pressure suddenly vanished in the World of the Living. He was reported by Sosuke Aizen to have joined up with Kisuke Urahara, who's current status is 'Wanted Dead'. This information is pending an investigation. Meanwhile, the Shiba-clan will be held responsible for the actions of Isshin Shiba_. _Despite their claims that Isshin will be punished for his dishonorable actions, the Soul Society determined that the Shiba-clan will no longer be a part of the royal families._ "

Ichigo's heart was racing in his chest. There was so much his dad had been hiding from him. What exactly was he supposed to do with all this information? Was his dad really a criminal of the Soul Society? Also, what actions did Kisuke commit that warranted the death-penalty?

"Are you alright?" Uryu asked.

"Y-Yeah… I… I'm just surprised." Ichigo looked over the paper again, his fingers trembling out of his control. He found a small bit about Jinsei Shiba. The man was Isshin's brother, and the day he was appointed to the head of the clan was the day Isshin vanished. If Jinsei was the man after Ichigo, then things were finally beginning to make sense. Isshin's brother wanted revenge.

"Ichigo!" Uryu snapped.

The orangette looked up from the paper.

"Can you sense that?"

Ichigo gulped, "S-Sense what?"

"You're so dense… how have you not noticed it yet!?"

Ichigo flinched under that bold question. He extended his crappy senses, which slowly lead him to the door. Sure enough, a powerful force stood on the other side of it. It wasn't as great as his, and it didn't feel like one he'd sensed before. However, this person seemed to have great control over it, so it could've been Jinsei trying to mask his presence.

They mysterious presence knocked on the door. It was Karin, "Yuzu said dinner will be ready in 10 minutes, Ichigo! Get up!"

Ichigo's eyes widened. He'd expected a powerful enemy, not his sister.

Karin opened the door, immediately shocked by Ichigo's confused expression. "What's with that look?" She quickly fiddled with her clothes. "Did I spill something on my uniform? Ichigo!?" Her eye twitched and she threw a crumpled piece of paper at her older brother. "Knock it off!"

Ichigo blinked and shook his head. "S-Sorry Karin… Everything's fine… I'm still a little tired, that's all."

She seemed to accept that answer. "Don't worry about it. Umm… is your friend joining you for supper?"

Ichigo glanced at Uryu. The Quincy shrugged.

Ichigo slowly responded, "He's staying if he's hungry."

"Alright then…" Karin shut the door and walked away.

Uryu looked down, immediately regretting it as his glasses slid from his face. He sighed and picked them up from the ground, "Well… that was different."

"No kidding…" Ichigo muttered.

"It would seem as though your spiritual pressure lingering in the house has awoken your sister's powers."

"Powers!?" Ichigo questioned, cringing a little at the idea of Karin gaining more strength than she already had. "You mean like… a Shinigami?"

"Yes! And… it seems my presence has been affecting your other sister as well."

Ichigo blinked, "Wait. You mean Yuzu?"

Uryu nodded. "Karin has Shinigami powers, and Yuzu has that of a Quincy…"

Ichigo's heart skipped a beat. Karin being a Shinigami made tons of sense, especially since both Isshin and Ichigo were Shinigami, but Yuzu… "How? Where did Yuzu even get Quincy powers?"

Uryu shrugged, "How am I supposed to know that?"

"Well, you seem to know everything!"

"Your logic is as sound as ever…" Uryu muttered.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Well, never mind then…" He grabbed a fresh piece of paper from the desk beside him and started writing a list of things on a piece of paper. "I've got some things I want Rukia to look into. Can you give this to-? Oi!" Ichigo snapped as Uryu snatched his unfinished list from his hands.

The Quincy looked Ichigo up and down, and then smirked. "If you want to finish this list, you'll have to take it back from me!"

Ichigo growled at his friend's childish remark. His limbs protested slightly, but despite the pain Ichigo managed to get up. He pinned Uryu against the wall and yanked the paper from him. He was about to grab a pen and finish the list when Uryu started chuckling. Ichigo growled, "The hell do you want now!?"

"Do you remember what I said?" Uryu questioned. Ichigo locked eyes with the Quincy, his confusion replacing his anger. He watched Uryu's eyes flick from Ichigo to the Substitute Shinigami badge that was still sitting on the dresser.

Ichigo abandoned his list, grinned and grasped the badge. He was immediately freed from his body. The power that surged through his being numbed the rest of his pain. Ichigo sighed at this feeling of complete freedom. His injuries were still present, but at least they wouldn't slow him down as much as they did in his human body.

"Let's go," Ichigo murmured, trying not to let his voice expose the pleasure he felt.

"To Orihime's," Uryu confirmed, "That's where Rukia is."

* * *

 **Teaser for Skykaila: It's hard to deny the past when it's cold, red eyes are staring you right in the face. Kim froze in sheer terror. There before her was a creature unlike anything she'd ever seen - a majestic, dark blue lizard, with sparkling scales. There was only one word for a creature like this: dragon.**

 **I'm trying to get some popularity going for this story. I plan on entering it into a contest in November!**


	7. A Noble Clan

"So… remind me once more why you didn't come straight here in the first place!?"

Ichigo felt himself shrink at Rukia's angered tone. He had just finished explaining everything to her, Orihime and Chad (who he had called on the way and asked him to meet at Orihime's). Ichigo wasn't sure what he had expected as a reaction from the three, but this certainly wasn't it. Then again, it's not like he expected Rukia to give him any sympathy.

"I'm sorry…?" Ichigo mumbled. "Look, I get it… Orihime could've healed me right away, but it wasn't my personal decision. My dad asked me to stay in bed so I listened." The orangette scratched the back of his head. "He… he, uhh… Well, I mean, it didn't look easy for him to talk about. Despite him acting so crazy all the time, my dad is still my dad. He's older than me and had his secrets."

"Aren't you spying on him now anyways?" Rukia continued.

"Yes! But…" Ichigo found himself intertwining his fingers in his hair, pulling on it gently. It was a sudden nervous habit. The pain kept him sharp and focused. "That's not the point Rukia! I don't want to do this! I wish he'd give me some straight answers… but that's not why I'm following him now! I want to be able to protect him!"

"Isn't he trying to protect you?" Chad suddenly questioned, making Ichigo's heart jump. He hadn't expected Chad to cut into his and Rukia's argument, nor had he expected Chad's voice to be so loud.

"Yes-" Ichigo wasn't given a chance to say more before he was interrupted again.

Chad turned to Rukia. "I believe Ichigo is doing the right thing. It's a son's duty to respect a father's wishes, and Ichigo has done just that."

Ichigo frowned and felt his stomach flip in guilt. Chad was _wrong._ Ichigo hadn't respected his father's wishes. He was still hurt, still in danger, and was now chasing after his father in order to invade his father's private life. Isshin hadn't wanted Ichigo to leave the house.

"W-Well…" Orihime finally spoke up. "I think what Sado-kun is getting at is that Kurosaki-kun has sat back and given his dad enough time to settle. Some things are more important than words."

Ichigo's lips hardened into a thin line. His grip increased on his hair.

"It's not about obeying his father," Rukia replied. "It's the fact that he lets his stupid pride get in the way!" She turned on Ichigo. "Look, I get that you don't want to accept help from others and I understand that you don't want to drag people into your business, but we're you're friends, Ichigo! You have to learn to lean on others!"

Uryu shook his head, "Ichigo told me that his father determined the wounds unhealable and that his father specifically requested that he not follow."

"That didn't stop Ichigo before when he came to save me!" Rukia retorted. "The way he's behaving now is not the way I remember Ichigo-"

Ichigo released a heavy sigh and just about pulled out his hair. "SHUT UP!" All eyes turned on him. "Can we stop talking about me like I'm not even here? You wanna know why I stayed in bed for so long? Because I didn't want to burden my dad! You wanna know why I'm saying screw that now? You want to know why I chased after Rukia, or Orihime, and now my father? Because maybe I fucking care more about all of you than your stupid opinions, and I'd rather you be alive!" Ichigo was shaking, and he felt worse than before. He felt guilty at his admission, especially because he felt it was so selfish. He felt sick that he'd always intervened with everyone's goals and personal lives just so that he could keep them in his life for a little bit longer. If he could see them living and happy, it made his life a little bit better and his heart a little more complete.

"You idiot," Uryu muttered.

Orihime had blushed when Ichigo had said her name, and her cheeks had only darkened a little more by the time she spoke, "We want to help you too, I-Ichigo. We wouldn't be your friends if… if that weren't the case…"

Rukia gently hit Ichigo's shoulder. "You shouldn't look like you just confessed to murder or something. What you do for us, Ichigo… I mean, I was ready to quit. I wanted my life to end without developing a relationship with my brother, and I was ready to abandon Renji without fixing our friendship. It was only thanks to you, Ichigo, that I could discover my self-worth and find my reason to live again."

Ichigo was at a loss of words. He looked to the floor, feeling heat rush up his neck.

"I swore to fight for you, Ichigo… do you remember that day?" Chad asked.

Ichigo glanced up at Chad. They shared a look then Ichigo nodded. "You guys are right… I'm sorry, I've really been kinda stupid not letting you guys fight beside me… I do need your help. Dad said he would only be gone for a week. That time has expired, which means his life could be in danger." Ichigo released a shaky sigh. "We need to go to the Soul Society."

He glanced at Chad, Orihime, and Uryu. Rukia answered Ichigo's unspoken question, "Don't worry, Ichigo. Byakuya has Captain status and so he can send special Hell-Butterflies back here that can escort humans through the Senkaimon."

"Then can the three of you take shifts watching my sisters in the meantime?"

Chad nodded and Orihime spoke, "We won't let you down Kurosaki-kun!"

For once, Ichigo felt like the weight of the world wasn't on his shoulders. He nodded, "I know."

"Then you'd better get going," Uryu instructed, "He'll have been at the Shiba's. They should know where he went from there. If not… just wait for me and I'll pick up his trail."

Ichigo smiled, "Alright… I'll see you guys soon."

"Let's get going." When Ichigo turned back to Rukia she had opened a Senkaimon. Ichigo watched her go first and then followed after her. He was running at full pace, but a hand on his shoulder reminded him to not exhaust himself. He had only just been properly healed by Orihime after all.

"Hey…" Rukia murmured, prompting Ichigo to slow down. "You, ah… you kinda blew up back there."

Ichigo nodded, "I know, sorry…"

"Quit apologizing. I just wanted to know if you wanted to talk about it."

"I'm fine."

She shook her head. "You're obviously not."

"I don't really wanna talk about it."

Rukia folded her arms and stopped dead in her tracks. "That's why I asked, dumbass!"

Ichigo stopped walking when she shouted. "I guess I'm just frustrated that dad's going through such lengths to hide things from me. I dunno why… It hasn't bothered me in the past."

"Well…" She placed her thumb on her chin in thought. "I suppose it's one thing for him to hide his past, like when you didn't want to talk about your mother. I was willing to wait because it wasn't about me. This, however, is directly about you and your family. You were wrong before to say it wasn't personal. You were the one your uncle targeted. It may have been to scare your father, but you still deserve answers for it."

"I guess…" Ichigo shrugged and started walking again.

Rukia giggled. "Alright, what's _really_ bothering you?"

"I'm not sure…" He confessed. "I want to feel happy that you guys are supporting me, and I want to feel good about dad wanting to protect me, but… I just feel guilty and this sinking feeling… in my chest…"

"Is it possible you feel depressed?"

Ichigo felt like something had clamped around his heart and wouldn't let go. "That's… gotta be it." He let out a sound that was somewhere between a sob and a chuckle. "It's not quite as intense as when my mother died, but it still hurts. It's like bottled up sorrow… does that make any sense?"

Rukia took his hand and squeezed it softly. She let go almost immediately after, as to not make Ichigo feel uncomfortable. She just wanted him to know that she was there for him. They were friends, after all, _close_ friends. "I understand the feeling. It'll go away, I promise, you just have to confront the problem. Knowing you, you'll charge straight in without thinking and come out stronger, just like you always do."

Ichigo's face brightened up. He wasn't quite smiling, but his frown had gone away. "Alright… looks like we're almost there."

"Yup! We'll be coming out at Kuchiki manor. You can stay in one of the guest rooms."

"Is it really okay for a peasant like me to stay in the same house as the noble Kuchikis?" Ichigo questioned jokingly.

Rukia breathed out, "Well... if your father really is a Shiba, then…" She chuckled almost nervously. "Well, Ichigo… fallen or not, the Shibas are still nobles."

Ichigo paused right before the bright light that led to the Soul Society. "Wh-What?"

She started laughing uncontrollably. "J-Just wait until my brother finds out! H-He's gonna… haha! Byakuya is gonna freak out! And… And I mean _really_ freak out! He hates it when he's wrong about someone… and he hates it even more when he's made a fool of himself!"

Heat rushed to Ichigo's cheeks. "O-Oh… jeez… Rukia, maybe we shouldn't tell him? I don't wanna embarrass the guy…" A sudden thought occurred to him. "On the other hand, it would be kinda like payback."

"Come on!" She shouted as she ran through. "I can't wait to see the look on his face!"

* * *

 **Hey, everyone! What do you think Byakuya's reaction will be?**

 **Also... how do you feel about Bleach 686?**


	8. Mind Games: Byakuya vs Ichigo

**I'm rather enjoying the feedback I get on this piece and 'I Am Zangetsu'. The goal is really to start discussions on the could-have-been's in Bleach, all the little pieces that were missing from the manga.**

 **Girl-of-Action, I'm glad you noticed how Uryu is going through such lengths to help Ichigo out. I feel their relationship was tested but the tests weren't conclusive enough in the Final Blood War Arc. It simply needed to be touched upon in this fic!**

 **Enjali, I agree. I will attempt to cover the basics of why the world didn't blow up once Yhwach vanished. (At the very least, I'll give you the theories I have/heard of.) First up, the Soul Society could've very easily rigged some machine to attach itself to Aizen and use his power and the Hogyoku to keep the world together. Second, this is more what I think should have happened, and less what actually did: I think Aizen knew Yhwach would return, so he helped Ichigo grow stronger in order to create an ally that would help Aizen defeat Yhwach. Aizen also knew that Yhwach would seek revenge on the Soul King, thus absorbing him. Once Aizen and Ichigo defeated the Soul King, Aizen would then capture Ichigo and use Ichigo as the new Soul King to hold the world in balance. Ichigo would be trapped in crystal (like the previous Soul King) and unable to move, leaving Aizen as the most powerful being and therefore the one in charge (seeing as how he has Ichigo hostage). Other theories include Kazui being the one now holding the worlds together, as though he somehow absorbed the last of Yhwach's power in the final chapter. And some believe that the ending was actually Aizen's illusion and he is the Soul King now.**

 **But enough from me... Happy reading!**

* * *

"No," Byakuya said.

"What do you mean 'no'!?" Rukia protested. "Brother, we have to aid Ichigo! It's-"

"He's none of our concern. He is in the Soul Society without permission… and not to mention he'll dishonour the Kuchiki household if other Captains get word of him staying here. You're lucky I don't report him to the Head Captain. I'm _certain_ those fools at Research and Development don't care enough to report him travelling through the Senkaimon."

A grin was suddenly on Rukia's lips.

"Oh well…" Rukia sighed. "Sorry Ichigo. I guess Byakuya just doesn't care about helping out a fellow noble. Gasp! I hate to think of what that might do to the Kuchiki's reputation! Once word spreads that we failed to support the Shiba-clan, fallen or not, our reputation as sophisticated hosts will surely be ruined!"

This caused one of Byakuya's finely-groomed eyebrows to be raised. "And what exactly does that mean, Rukia?"

"Nothing that concerns you, dear brother…" Rukia turned around and started towards the door. Ichigo was about to follow her when his shoulder was seized by Byakuya.

"What is the meaning of this, Ichigo Kurosaki?"

"Ah, well…" Ichigo gave Byakuya an innocent smile. "It's as Rukia explained. I need a place to stay while I investigate my dad. He was a member of the Shiba-clan, you know…"

Byakuya's eye twitched. " _No,_ " he answered, "I did _not_ know."

"Let me see if I've got this straight…" Byakuya swiftly let go of Ichigo's shoulder, as if it was something precious that might break should he keep his hands on it any longer. "Your father is… Isshin _Shiba_ , the Captain that disappeared several years ago."

Ichigo slowly nodded. He noticed the colour drain from Byakuya's face.

"I see…" Byakuya's mouth twitched. "Well, that certainly explains a few things…" The poor man looked as though he was about to faint. "Alright then… Rukia will show you to your room, and I will have a request processed in order to grant access for your friends. The request will most likely take a day to process, or two if they need convincing. The Head Captain won't be happy that you're here without permission, but I'm sure he'll let it slide… the others will simply be informed that you came here in order to visit some old friends. That is all."

Byakuya walked around Ichigo, past Rukia and out the door.

Rukia snorted, then burst out into loud laughter, then snorted again as she tried to compose herself. "Thank you, Ichigo, for letting me do that!" She nodded her head towards a door. "Come on. I'll show you around!"

Ichigo was brought to Rukia's room…. _rooms_ first. She had one that functioned as her actual bedroom. Her bed was bright pink and the room was decorated with rabbit-themed furniture. The walls had rabbit wallpaper, the carpet had bunnies all over it, and her chair was shaped like a bunny with it's ears perked. Her other room was filled to the brim with Chappy the Rabbit merchandise and collectables. Stuffed Chappy's filled the shelves and other Chappy-related stuff was scattered about the room in an organized mess. Rukia even kicked off her Shinigami shoes and opted for Chappy the rabbit slippers as she continued the tour.

She showed Ichigo to the pool next. It was surrounded by a thick, well trimmed garden and had two paths connecting it from the house to a sauna. Ichigo was also shown to a training room which held all kinds of weird equipment that he hadn't ever seen in the World of the Living before. Rukia informed him that it was because these machines were made to train his soul and not his body. Ichigo shrugged. Next he was shown a near-naked room, which apparently belonged to Byakuya, next to a bare office. Then, on the opposite side of the mansion, Ichigo was shown to his room. As soon as they arrived, servants pulled him inside.

Ichigo glanced at Rukia for help, but all he got in return was a wave. "Bye Ichigo! Have fun! And try to relax, okay?"

"W-Wait, don't- agh!"

"Sir, please calm down…" The female said softly.

"Yes, we simply wish to give you a warm welcome!" The male added.

Ichigo groaned, "I don't need to be waited on…"

"Ichigo!" Byakuya snapped, now standing in the doorway.

Ichigo noticed the two servers immediately let go of him and bow to Byakuya.

The Captain continued, "I am aware that you are not used to being treated as nobility, _however…_ As a guest of this household it is rude of you not to accept our way of doing things!"

Ichigo blinked.

"Now, please _do_ try to enjoy your stay." Byakuya grinned at Ichigo as he left, sending a shiver up the young Shinigami's back.

Ichigo had a feeling that this was Byakuya's way of paying him back for earlier.

The two servers immediately stripped Ichigo down. Ichigo blushed furiously and attempted to cover himself up with his hands. "St-Stop! Really! There's no need to dress me! I'm perfectly capable of handling it myself-"

"Is that Ichigo I hear?"

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck… No! Please not her! Anyone but her!_ Ichigo mentally panicked.

Sure enough, Ichigo's worse nightmare came true. Yoruichi Shihouin appeared in Ichigo's doorway. She seemed completely unfazed by Ichigo's nudity.

"What are you doing here!?" Ichigo cried.

"Hmm?" Yoruichi pointed a finger towards herself. "Well, I just wanted to visit Mr. Stick-up-his-a-"

"THAT'S NICE, BUT IT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT." Ichigo shrieked, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM WHILE I'M BUTT-NAKED?"

Yoruichi chuckled. "My, you're sure bashful…"

"Sir, your bath is ready…" The woman called.

Ichigo slowly nodded. "O-Okay…" Yoruichi laughed at him some more while Ichigo protested, "YOU'RE STILL HERE? LEAVE!"

She gave him a grin. "Alright, see ya Ichigo~"

The boy huffed and immediately hid himself in the bathroom. He grabbed the shower curtains to hid his body once he realised that the two servers were following him. They wheeled in a kart full of various bottles.

"What kind of soap would you like, sir? Any bath salts or face masks?"

Ichigo blinked. "You really have all this stuff?"

The woman smiled and the man nodded.

"Please," the woman spoke. "Allow us to treat you today. We have some fine lavender soap that just arrived. We can also bring you something to drink as well."

Ichigo felt his face heat up. "There's no need for that."

"You're Ichigo Kurosaki, right?" The man asked.

Slowly, Ichigo nodded.

"Well, sir…" The man continued, "You saved us all. Aizen was a terrible threat, but you stopped him."

Ichigo shrugged softly. "Yes, well… The Soul Society already paid me back for that. It's how I got my powers back…" He felt the curtain slip and he quickly pulled it back up, his blush darkening.

"You sacrificed everything…"

Ichigo nodded, "I did, and I did so without expecting or wanting anything in return."

"OH LIVE A LITTLE, ICHIGO!" Yoruichi shouted from next door, pounding against the wall. "YOU DESERVE TO RELAX A BIT. YOU'RE MATURE BUT YOU'RE STILL JUST A KID. NO TEENAGER DESERVES THE AMOUNT OF STRESS YOU PUT ON YOURSELF."

"She's right," the man insisted.

Ichigo felt the corner of his lips pull, wanting to smile. "Oh… alright."

The two servers beamed happily.

"So, what's it going to be?" The woman asked.

Ichigo chuckled nervously, "Well… I actually have no idea what half of that stuff does, so…"

"That's alright," said the woman. "You just pick out the scents and we'll handle the rest."

Ichigo nodded and slowly sat down in the bath. The water was hot, but not enough to burn. Ichigo was surprised to find that the bath was only half-full. The woman informed him that the rest would be full once Ichigo chose a soap to soak in. Lavender was selected and the bath water slowly turned purple as it filled. Ichigo's hair was then washed and lathered with conditioner. He was also given a green face-mask by the man and a gentle hand massage by the woman. His nails were trimmed and his hair was clipped. After all that, some jets were turned on to massage Ichigo and he was left to relax in the hot water.

The orangette let out a soft sigh.

 ** _'_** ** _Enjoying yourself…?'_**

Ichigo didn't even flinch when he heard his Hollow's voice. "Yeah… and not even you are gonna change that, so piss off."

He could hear the bastard laughing. **_'Fine, be that way. At least it's not raining in here anymore.'_**

"Mm…" Ichigo grunted and rolled onto his side, drifting into a light nap.

Ichigo swore he heard his Hollow sigh. **_'I hope you learn the truth soon…'_**

Those words hardly reached Ichigo's exhausted ears. This bath even had a balloon pillow, which squished perfectly under his head. _Damn_ he really felt good now. The water jets changed their pressure to his lower back, working out the kinks and knots in his muscle. The warm water soothed him well.

 ** _'_** ** _I'm glad you're enjoying some peace, King… please rest and gather as much strength as you can. Don't get killed out there, or else there's gonna be some serious consequences.'_**


	9. Ichigo Against the Odds

Ichigo slowly crawled out of bed. It had been three days since he entered the Soul Society, and he still knew next to nothing about his dad. Scattered about the room were documents that Rukia had gathered for him. He knew he was missing something. Just one piece of information could unlock the entire puzzle.

"Hey!"

Tired, brown eyes looked up at the door.

Kukaku Shiba was there with one arm propped against the door frame. She smirked, "Heard you were interested in learning more about the Shibas. Ask away."

Ichigo's eyebrows knitted together. "How did you know that?"

She smirked and sat down on the ground. "Yoruichi told me you were here looking for Isshin. And don't worry, she's not gonna tell Kisuke that you followed them." Her smile quickly faded. "Is Uncle in trouble?"

Ichigo sat back down on the bed. "I hope not, but. . . he didn't want me getting involved, which means there's a danger in what he's doing."

Kukaku sighed. "I should've known. He came asking about his brother, Jinsei. Then he wanted to know where the rest of our family had moved to after we were banished from the Soul Society. Ganju and I gave him our best instructions, then he and that freaky shop-owner left."

Ichigo stared at the floor, unsure of what this information meant.

"Do you remember when Yoruichi first brought you to my house?" Kukaku chuckled. "I knew you and I were related the moment I saw you. You looked just like Kaien, but more than anyone you made me think of Isshin. At first, I was mad that he hadn't spoken to us in years, so I took it out on you, but then I realized that he must've moved on since you didn't know the first thing about being a Shinigami. He must've raised you right, though, since you fought so hard to save Rukia."

Ichigo snorted, "Sure, but he's such a weird dad. If he's not being a pervert then he's being a crybaby!"

Kukaku laughed, "Yeah! That's the Isshin I remember!"

Ichigo felt a smile tug at his lips. "His morals were in the right place, though. He opened a clinic with my mom. Even after she passed away, he tried his best to make everyone feel happy." Ichigo hugged his knees to his chest.

Kukaku nodded. "I can tell you're worried. I'm sorry I can't be of much help, but I can tell you where he was going."

"You're doing great, thanks! I really appreciate your help."

Kukaku took a pen and piece of paper and wrote instructions down with care. After she was done, Ichigo had a complete list of his living family members and directions to find them. He walked with Kukaku outside of the Kuchiki Manor and was taking her back home when someone plowed right into Ichigo.

Ichigo didn't budge, but instead sent the Shinigami to the ground.

"A-Ah!" The Shinigami yelped. "Th-That orange hair! You must be the Substitute Shinigami! S-Sorry sir!"

Ichigo extended his hand to the Shinigami. He graciously took his help. "Don't worry about it," Ichigo shrugged, pulling the petit boy to his feet. "You didn't hurt me."

The Shinigami bowed his head. "No! It is my fault! I should have watched where I was going!" The Shinigami dropped his knees and began to gather up papers. Ichigo got down on the ground to help. After handing him the papers, the Shinigami bowed his head once more and took off.

"So. . . who was that?" Ichigo questioned.

"Beats me," Kukaku muttered, watching the Shinigami rush off.

The young Shinigami rushed home. He placed the stack of papers onto a desk then approached his living room. "Sir, r-remember how you told me to keep an eye out for a guy with orange hair?"

Jinsei grinned. "Yes, and?"

"You're right, sir. He's here."

Ichigo rounded another corner only to bump into Rukia.

Kukaku chuckled, "You need to learn to watch where you're going!"

"Ichigo-"

"Yeah, I get it! I'm sorry, Rukia."

"That's great, but that's not what I'm talking about. Your father, he's. . ."

Rukia didn't need to see more. A combination of her worried expression and the sudden burst of his father's presence gave Ichigo all the pieces he needed to know that his father was in trouble. He took off in a flash, shaking Rukia and Kukaku slightly from the wake of his flash step.

"Where is he!?" Kukaku questioned.

"With the Captains right now. Soi Fon found him sleeping this morning and dragged him to the Head Captain. Then the Head Captain called a meeting. Brother didn't tell me what the meeting was about, though it sounded like an emergency, so I followed him. Once I heard the meeting was to decide Isshin's fate, I ran to get Ichigo."

* * *

Ichigo sighed. He was currently regretting leaving Rukia and Kukaku behind, since they'd no doubt come up with a better plan than he ever could. He'd have to rely on his go-to brashness. Knowing that all the Captains were currently inside, he kicked the door in.

There was silence as wide eyes turned on him.

Then, came the cry from Yamamoto, "KUROSAKI ICHIGO, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS INTERRUPTION!?"

"Let him go!"

Soi Fon turned towards Ichigo, "Let who go? The prisoner!?" She scoffed, "You can't be serious."

Ichigo swallowed past the lump in his throat as Yamamoto glared at him. The Head Captain spoke, "We cannot keep granting every request you make, nor can we keep bending the rules for you."

"That's not what I'm saying," Ichigo said. Annoyance flashed over his features. "The 'prisoner'. . . the man you might execute. . ."

"Isshin Shiba," Toshiro provided. "I don't know what good deed you might've seen him do, but he is not innocent to our laws, Ichigo. He deserted the Soul Society. We thought he was dead, but his Spiritual Pressure was recorded at the fight with Aizen. We also sensed it in the Soul Society a few days ago, and so we tracked him down."

Byakuya grit his teeth. He had a feeling that the Substitute Shinigami was going to win this argument.

Toshiro continued, "Other than a Substitute, Shinigami aren't allowed to interact with the living, with obvious exceptions like Rukia Kuchiki. This is because the dead are not supposed to have a second chance at life."

Ichigo nodded. "Well, that makes sense, unlike some of your other stupid rules. . . but here's the thing, Isshin is-"

"What is that voice I hear!?" Isshin shouted from behind Soi Fon, a sack on his head and his hands bound. "Is that my boy? I knew you'd come for me!"

"Shut up!" Ichigo snapped, appearing behind Soi Fon with his foot in Isshin's face. "Quit acting like an idiot! Don't you understand how serious this is? You're in big trouble!"

Shunsui glanced at Jushiro, who shrugged.

"Kurosaki, what is meaning of this? Quit wasting our time!" Soi Fon complained.

Ichigo sighed and stepped off of Isshin's face. "This sack of worthless shit is my dad."

Isshin, who had someone managed to get the bag off his head, started bawling, "That's not very nice! Ichigo, you hurt daddy's feelings!"

Ichigo put the bag back over Isshin's head.

"This is your father!?" Jushiro gasped.

"This actually makes a lot of sense. . ." Toshiro muttered.

Byakuya nodded. "Although, Kurosaki isn't quite that eccentric."

"He is loud, though," Mayuri added.

Ichigo grit his teeth. "I am standing _right here_!"

Yamamoto seemed just about done with everything. Of _course_ , Ichigo Kurosaki just had to be related to Isshin Shiba. That did explain Ichigo's massive amount of power, but… He groaned inwardly. Damn the Substitute for being so friggen pure-hearted and helping them out so many times. "X-Captain, Isshin Shiba is cleared of his charges."

"What, really!?" Isshin cried happily. "I knew you'd come around Old Man-"

"Don't push your luck," Yamamoto muttered in annoyance. "It's got nothing to do with you. You're lucky we owe a great debt to your son, otherwise you'd be executed on the spot!"

Soi Fon reluctantly undid Isshin's binds. The proud father took off the bag and wrapped his arms around his resentful son. The look of pure annoyance on Ichigo's face almost made Byakuya feel bad for him. Almost.

The floor suddenly began to warp and bend. The Captains as well as Isshin and Ichigo used Flash Step to escape, landing outside in a training field.

"Show yourself!" Yamamoto barked.

This time, it was as though a section of the sky was melting. From the wax-like droplets came a man.

"Jinsei!" Isshin snapped.

"Dear brother," Jinsei chuckled, "it's nice to see you again. And look! You have your son with you! The family is back together!"

Isshin scowled. "Leave Ichigo out of this!"

"Scream, Benehime!"

Jinsei's eyes widened as the screeching, red attack sliced through the air towards him. He stepped out of the way and narrowed his eyes at the now present Kisuke Urahara. "Stay out of this, shop-keeper!"

"Tsk, I'm merely protecting Ichigo, my trainee. It's nothing personal to you, Mr. Stranger," Kisuke said, waving his fan dismissively.

"Yeah, sure," Ichigo muttered, "pretend you're not involved." Brown eyes widened when a hand appeared around his neck and he was suddenly dragged halfway across the Soul Society. Jinsei threw him into a wall and Ichigo could taste blood in his mouth.

"You need to be faster, Ichigo… for the son of a captain, I'd thought you'd be stronger than this."

Ichigo grit his teeth, "Fuck you!"

"Tsk, is that any way to speak to your family?"

"You stopped being my family the moment you turned your blade on me and my father!"

Jinsei sighed, "I'm sorry you feel that way. Oh well, seems you're nothing more than an immature brat after all."

Ichigo knew this man was just trying to get to him. Despite that knowledge, he still felt anger pumping through his veins. He thrust his Zangetsu forward and shouted, "BANKAI!"

* * *

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	10. Regroup

"Ichigo!" Isshin shouted, arriving in time to see the clearing dust. Isshin felt a touch of pride upon seeing Ichigo's Bankai once again. Although terrified that Ichigo had chosen the path of fighting, Isshin was also proud that his son wasn't afraid to do the right thing.

Isshin kept out of Ichigo's way as he fought. Being in the wrong place could've spelled disaster for the both of them. No, Isshin didn't dare interfere, that is, until Jinsei released his Bankai.

Jinsei's Shikai came in the form of two thick swords, each with green feathers tied at the end. To release his Bankai, first he put both swords together at the feathered ends, then they melded together. The new blade bent into an 'S' shape and was about the side of Jinsei's body.

Ichigo braced himself for an attack. Before it came, his father appeared in front of him, his side impaled by the hook of Jinsei's blade.

"Dad!"

"I'm fine, this is nothing!"

With worry wrinkling Ichigo's features, he swooped in to catch his father as he fell.

"Ichigo! His Shikai can bend reality but his Bankai can bend your reality. You have to get out of here."

"I'm not leaving you behind!" Ichigo glared at Jinsei and raised his hand to his face. He stopped and glanced down at Isshin.

"Don't be ashamed, Ichigo," Isshin said. "It's a part of you. Being a Hollow doesn't change anything, especially not how proud I am of you. . . and you'll have to Hollowify to fight him."

Ichigo raised his hand again. He gathered his reiatsu and felt it harden across his face. Something was different as he summoned his mask this time. It seemed to go on smoother.

 ** _"_** ** _What changed, King?"_**

Not even his Hollow's voice fazed him.

 ** _"_** ** _You've always rejected me, used that mask to supress and control me. . . but this time you're allowing me into your soul."_**

 _'_ _I don't know,'_ Ichigo replied mentally.

 ** _"_** ** _Ichigo,"_** the Hollow almost sounded as if he was crying. **_"Thank you. You've. . . finally accepted me as a part of you."_**

Ichigo's grip tightened on his Zanpakuto as Jinsei lunged at him. He blocked the blade, catching the other off-guard with his increased speed.

"So, you're hiding behind a mask now, huh!?" Jinsei taunted.

Ichigo snorted, _"Hardly!"_ His voice came out marbled and echoic.

Jinsei tensed. "No, you can't be. . . a Hollow!?"

Ichigo ignored him and flashed to his side. He released a quick Getsuga, just to get Jinsei airborne. Then he pressed his blade against the other's and shouted, _"Getsuga Tenshou!"_

Jinsei grit his teeth. His hands shook against the force of the blow. Once he realized he couldn't block it, he jumped back as far as he could before he ran to the side. Ichigo's attack grazed his right leg and sent him spiraling downward. Jinsei spat out a curse, his leg bleeding.

Ichigo marched towards him, sword raised.

"What a _fucking_ disgrace to the name of Getsuga Tenshou!"

Ichigo narrowed his eyes, his arm lowering. _"What are you talking about?"_

Jinsei took this opportunity to move. He got to his feet and jumped a few meters away from Ichigo, leaving a comfortable distance. "You! How dare you, a filthy Hollow, infect Getsuga Tenshou, the Shiba Clan's technique!?"

 _"_ _It's a Shiba technique?"_

Laughter made Ichigo stop in his tracks.

Jinsei revelled in denying Ichigo answers. He opted to change the subject. With a grin, he said, "Tell me, Ichigo, are you certain your sisters are safe!? Are you absolutely sure that I'm working alone?"

Ichigo's grip tightened on his Tensa Zangetsu. His knuckles turned white.

Jinsei grinned, "That's what I thought."

 _"_ _Bastard! If you do anything to them, I swear-"_

"I'm not going to do anything!" Jinsei chuckled. "Someone else will."

Isshin could see Ichigo shaking, even from across the pavement. He could tell that his son was losing to his anger. Isshin's next action was going to hurt. It was probably going to kill him. He brought his sword forward. It lit up in a brilliant blue flame. Then Isshin shouted, "Bankai!"

Ichigo and Jinsei shielded their eyes against the sudden heat. Flames surrounded Isshin for a few seconds before compressing into a humanoid shape. Ichigo felt panic grip him when all he could see was fire. Then Isshin's Spiritual Pressure eased his worry, reassuring Ichigo that he was okay.

The flames vanished and Ichigo fell into an awe-filled silence. Isshin's skin had turned to coal. His features, like his mouth and eyes, turned to glowing purple magma. Isshin's wounds erupted with red-hot flames, singeing the coals. The flames ate away at his coal-skin, which was why he disliked using this form when he had serious injuries.

 _"_ _Amazing. . ."_ Ichigo murmured.

The purple of Isshin's lips flattened into a smirk. Ichigo didn't doubt that it was tough to speak in that form.

Jinsei chuckled lowly. "How long can you hold that form, brother? Your wounds will get worse by the minute and your flames will consume you!"

Ichigo shot a quick Getsuga in Jinsei's direction. _"Don't listen to him Dad! I'll help you finish this quickly!"_

Isshin shook his head and turned his head to look over his shoulder. Captains were arriving, as well as Rukia. "Ichigo!" she shouted. "We've detected a large, unknown presence near your house! We've gotta get back there!"

Ichigo nodded and said to his father, "I'll keep them safe. You focus on here." Upon seeing Isshin nod, Ichigo took off with Rukia.

Jinsei chuckled and brought his Zanpakuto forward. Jushiro and Shunsui covered Ichigo and Rukia's exit while Soi Fon and Byakuya clashed with Jinsei. Their attacks were blocked easily. Jinsei pushed both captains back. Isshin appeared behind Jinsei, grasping the back of his head with a burning grip. Jinsei screamed and spun around, cutting across Isshin's chest.

Unohana stepped towards the fallen Isshin while Komamura forced Jinsei back.

"Relax," Unohana said, a small yet eerie smile on her face. "He's retreating, look."

Isshin glanced at Jinsei as he fled the scene. Soi Fon followed suit.

"Captain Soi Fon will follow him to make certain he doesn't harm your son. Please revert your Zanpakuto back to its sealed form and allow me to treat your injuries."

Isshin released his Bankai with a sigh. The coals turned to ash that blew away in the wind. His sealed Zanpakuto clattered beside him. Blood pooled from his wounds.

* * *

 _"_ _Unhand my sister!"_ Ichigo snapped.

Her red lips curled into a grin. She didn't even budge at Ichigo's outburst. Black nails curled around Karin's throat, threatening to scratch or choke.

"And if I don't?" she probed, testing Ichigo's patience.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. Behind the woman was a blue flash.

"If you don't. . ." Uryu released his arrow. "Then you'll have to face all of us."

The woman released Karin just as Uryu's arrow reached the woman's ponytail. It sliced clean through her elastic, letting her blonde hair flow freely in the wind.

Ichigo caught Karin then took her inside the house. He placed her down on the couch next to Yuzu and Yuzu wrapped her sister in a blanket.

Ichigo opened his mouth to speak but Yuzu cut him off. "Go get her, Ichi-nii!"

Ichigo smiled and nodded. _"Don't worry. I'll stop her."_

"And be safe!" Yuzu called as Ichigo ran back outside.

The woman roared with anger as another one of Uryu's arrows pierced her shoulder. Ichigo pointed his blade at her and tensed for her retaliation strike.

"How dare you!?" she growled. "You nearly took off my arm!"

"Consider yourself lucky," Uryu replied, "that I missed."

She vanished from view. A moment later, Rukia screamed, the sound gargled.

Ichigo turned and saw red. Blood spilled from Rukia's shoulder and splattered onto the ground. Her wound pulsed purple from the woman's attack.

"An eye for an eye," the woman chuckled, her eyes locked on Rukia's limp form. "Or, in this case, an arm for an-"

Ichigo roared and lunged forward at the woman. He grabbed her and threw her in the air only to pin her down at the edge of a rooftop. Her head stuck over the side and Uryu aimed for it from the streets below.

 _"_ _Admit defeat!"_ Ichigo snapped, his sword inches away from the woman's throat. _"You can't beat the both of us!"_

She narrowed her eyes. "I don't need to defeat you right now. That wasn't the plan!" Her hand began to glow. Ichigo recognized it as Kido and backed off before her attack reached him.

She stood tall and marched towards Ichigo, reaitsu coming off her blade in purple wisps. She ran at Ichigo all while more reiatsu gathered onto her sword. She swung with all her might. Ichigo blocked the attack, knees bending to brace himself from the blow. She turned her attention to behind her, where Uryu was climbing up onto the roof. Uryu's arrow raced by, missing her by a second.

She snarled and appeared behind Ichigo. "You know you want it!"

Ichigo turned on his heels, a scowl on his lips. _"Want what!?"_

The woman smirked. "You want freedom from the weight you carry on your shoulders. I can help you with that."

Ichigo's grip tightened on his Zanpakuto. _"You're wrong about me. Protecting my friends is never a burden!"_

"We shall see…"

Brown eyes widened as the woman moved faster than he could see. He felt her sword rip through his entire being, nearly slicing him in half. Uryu noticed that the woman's blade had stopped glowing, and left the strange reiatsu behind, clinging to Ichigo's wound. Ichigo coughed up blood as he collapsed to his knees. The metallic taste made him want to throw up.

"We'll see each other again. That is, if you survive that wound." The woman grabbed Ichigo by the back of his Shihakusho and threw him into Uryu. The two of them fell off the roof.

Ichigo groaned and pushed himself to his feet. _"We have to go after her!"_

Rukia crawled towards the two boys. Uryu caught her before she collapsed. "No," he said. "First we need to treat your injuries."

 _"_ _There's no time-"_

"Ichigo," Uryu said sternly, "we'll get another chance to fight. Right now, you're hurt."

Ichigo opened his mouth to protest, but the worry in Uryu's eyes and the pain in Rukia's made him fall silent. The ground began to sway beneath his feet. Ichigo glanced at the sky. His world grew dark before he hit the ground.

* * *

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	11. Changes

"Ichigo!"

All he could feel was warmth.

"Kurosaki-kun, please wake up!"

"Inoue?"

"Ichigo."

"Chad."

"I think he's coming 'round."

"Renji. . ."

Ichigo struggled to open his eyes. The light only brought him pain, despite the warmth it cast onto his skin. It was both comforting and a nuisance.

"His wounds are fine now, Orihime," Uryu spoke. "You can lower your healing field."

"R-Right!"

The light faded, but so did the warmth. Ichigo groaned and forced his eyes open.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, Ichigo," Kisuke teased, waving his trademark fan. "Well, not literally _the_ World of the Living, but you're awake now, that's what I mean. You're back in the Soul Society now. At the Kuchiki manor."

Ichigo scowled at the shop-keeper. "How long have I been out?"

"A day or two, at most," Kisuke replied.

Ichigo looked around the room, taking in the sight of his friends. He smiled at Orihime. "Thanks for healing me, Inoue."

Her cheeks immediately turned rose in colour. "O-Oh, it's not a problem!"

"Your wounds were fairly deep," Uryu informed, leaning closer to Ichigo. "They seem healed, but there are still traces of that woman's spiritual pressure."

"The same thing happened to Rukia-san," Kisuke said, his grin gone and fan tucked away.

Ichigo felt each of his friends tense before their expressions grew heavy. He immediately sat up. "What happened to Rukia!? Is she still hurt?"

"No," Renji spoke, "but something is definitely wrong."

"Tell me, Renji!"

Renji turned his head towards the other side of the room. Ichigo followed his gaze. He noticed Rukia in the corner, hiding behind a blanket. She was trembling, her eyes locked on Ichigo.

"Rukia?"

She yelped and pulled the covers over her head.

"Rukia. . . it's me, Ichigo."

"I know who you are, b-baka!" She replied, then immediately started crying. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! You're a smart guy, Ichigo. Please don't hurt me!"

Ichigo slid out of his bed. "Rukia. . ."

She lowered the covers to see him approaching her. She screamed and sprung from her bed. Ichigo froze as Rukia cowered in the corner of the room.

Kisuke watched with mild curiosity as Ichigo approached Rukia. He stopped about a meter away and extended his hand. "Rukia, you're gonna be fine, I promise."

Rukia stared at him with wide-eyes. "Ichigo. . . I'm scared."

"Don't worry." Ichigo smiled and released a soft chuckle. "You know me and Renji wouldn't ever hurt you, right?"

Upon hearing his name, Renji moved closer. "Ichigo's right," he said.

Rukia sniffled and took Ichigo's hand. "Y-yeah, but. . . what about those bad guys out there?"

Ichigo grabbed Renji's wrist and pulled him towards Rukia. She flinched but didn't let go of Ichigo's hand. Ichigo placed Rukia's hand into Renji's and flashed them both a smile. "Don't fret, Rukia. Renji will protect you while the rest of us stop those bad guys. You don't have to be scared at all!"

Rukia giggled. "Yeah! Okay!"

Renji blushed as Ichigo slipped his hand out of Rukia's and left her and Renji holding hands. Rukia turned to Renji with worried eyes. Renji gave her a smile and a nod. "Right, Rukia, I'll stay with you."

Ichigo marched towards the exit, grabbing Urahara by the sleeve as he left. Uryu follow suit, leaving Chad and Orihime behind with Renji and Rukia.

"So, what's happening?" Ichigo questioned once they were out of Rukia's earshot.

Kisuke frowned, indicating that he was serious. "It would appear that Rukia has lost her nerve due to the effect of Seni's Zanpakuto."

"Seni?"

"Seni Hayami. The woman who attacked you."

"Oh." Ichigo frowned and leaned back against the wall, trying to ease his racing heart. He felt sticky and couldn't keep himself from fidgeting.

Uryu adjusted his glasses. "Yes, well, not only that, but she used her effect on you as well."

Ichigo felt his heart skip a beat. "You mean. . . I might end up like that, too?"

Uryu glanced at Kisuke. The shop-keeper shrugged. "You don't feel any different, do you?"

Ichigo shook his head.

"Rukia-chan felt sick before the transition happened. It happened rapidly, too. She started crying and telling us to back away. We did. This happened only an hour before you woke up. We were sure the same thing would happen to you, but, nothing seems to have changed yet."

Ichigo licked his bottom lip, chewing on it nervously. "Well, that at least explains why everyone seems so worried, but I'm fine! I swear. I'll let you know the instant something changes."

"That's good news," Kisuke said, "but we'd like to run some tests on the reiatsu she placed into your wound. Do you mind if I take a sample?"

Ichigo leaned away from Kisuke. "Is it going to hurt?"

"Nonsense! Of _course_ not!"

Ichigo removed his Shihakusho and a yelp of pain later, Kisuke got his sample. Ichigo scowled at the man as Orihime quickly healed the small cut on his chest.

Renji had gotten Rukia to fall asleep. Kisuke was gentler with taking a sample from her, as to not wake her up, and then he left to go test them.

"It'll take a couple of hours," he hummed as he exited.

Ichigo chased after him. "Kisuke! Wait! Where are they keeping my-?"

"GOOOOOOD MORNING IIIIICHIGOOOO!"

Ichigo scowled and blocked his father with a foot to his face. "Never mind."

Kisuke chuckled and hopped off.

Isshin slapped Ichigo on the back. "Good to see you up and about my boy!"

"Shut it, goat face," Ichigo sighed. His eyes widened. "Wait! If you're here then who's protecting Karen and Yuzu!?"

Isshin dusted himself off from Ichigo's attack. He huffed and folded his arms. "Did you really think I'd leave them unattended? No! My old pal, Toshiro, volunteered to look after them!"

"Yeah, if by 'volunteered' you mean 'was forced to' then sure, Toshiro volunteered," Renji muttered. "He got permission from the Head Captain to go to the World of the Living with Lieutenant Matsumoto and guard your house. Captain Soi Fon has been investigating Jinsei and Hayami's whereabouts but nothing has turned up so far."

Ichigo sighed and slowly nodded. He returned to his bed, Chad, Orihime and Uryu sitting beside him. Renji sat in a chair next to Rukia while Isshin passed out in a third bed.

* * *

An hour later, Rukia and Ichigo sat on their beds and gazed out at the moon. Orihime and the others had returned to their own rooms down the hall. With a bit more snooping, Ichigo found out that he and Rukia were given a special room in the Kuchiki manor where Shinigami from Division Four could keep an eye on them, but still give them some privacy. They were under strict orders to keep them from leaving the manor until Kisuke's tests were finished and a cure could be found.

Besides, the only way Yamamoto was going to allow Ichigo, his father, _and_ Ichigo's friends to stay within the Soul Society was to dump them on Byakuya and make him suffer.

"I've been thinking, Rukia."

"H-Huh?" She turned to him with a small jump.

Ichigo sighed and hugged a pillow to his chest. "Never mind."

Rukia huffed. "No, don't do that, I wanna know!"

Ichigo raised a brow and turned to face her. "You sure?"

She nodded. "I feel a bit braver now. I think I can handle it."

Ichigo returned his gaze to the window. "Her Zanpakuto's effect must be wearing off."

"I hope so," Rukia muttered. She fidgeted slightly before mumbling, "What were you gonna say?"

"Oh," Ichigo sighed. "I've just been wondering. . . how come I'm on beck-and-call whenever the Soul Society needs me?"

Rukia blinked. "I dunno."

Ichigo laid back on the bed with a huff. "I have to drop everything whenever the Soul Society needs my help. As a result, my grades suffer, my family misses me, and I just. . . it's exhausting work! Sure they gave me my powers back as thanks for stopping Aizen, but they still expect me to drop everything and slay Hollows. I'm starting to think the only reason they gave me my powers back is so that they don't have to worry about Hollows in my area, and so that they have a disposable pawn to throw at their current biggest threat."

Rukia shrunk down. "I'm sorry."

Ichigo rolled onto his side to face her. "O-Oh, Rukia, I didn't mean you. You're my friend. Of course, I'm going to protect you."

She smiled and relaxed a touch. "I know."

Ichigo snuggled into his pillow. "I think I'm just tired, Rukia. I'm going to get some sleep before my Dad wakes me up in the morning. Night."

"Yeah, he's scary," Rukia muttered, making Ichigo chuckle. "Good night, Ichigo."

* * *

 **All you hear is distant evil laughter from the author as the chapter comes to a complete close. . .**


	12. A New King

"Ichigo," came Isshin's growl.

One brown eye opened.

"Come with me. Quickly."

Ichigo blinked at his father's seriousness and slowly nodded. He slid out of bed and followed his father down the hall. Ichigo stopped when they reached the front door of the Kuchiki manor.

"What's wrong?" Isshin asked, turning around to face his son.

Ichigo scowled. "Aren't we not supposed to leave the manor?"

"There was an explosion at Division 12 earlier this morning. I think this qualifies as an exception."

"An explosion? How come I wasn't woken up earlier?" Ichigo asked as he followed behind Isshin closely. Ichigo glanced at the sky. The sun was just above his head. He'd slept in until 12, or maybe even later, but for some reason Ichigo still felt unrested. Ichigo shook his head to clear his thoughts. He quickened his pace to keep up with his father. They stayed low, taking unpopular routes to avoid walking into any high-ranking Shinigami.

Isshin scowled, "I would have gotten you sooner, Ichigo, but I just found out about it myself."

They leapt over a wall with a plaque reading 'Division 12 Research Facility'.

"Kisuke sent me a message telling me to come quickly. I figured you would want to know too so I woke you up instantly. Whatever Kisuke has to say, it sounds urgent."

Ichigo smiled and nodded. Even though it was his father's secrecy that got them both into this mess, Ichigo felt closer to his father, more so than he ever had before. They entered a square, white building, and darkness immediately enveloped them. Besides the humming of machines, the room was completely silent.

"Isshin," came Kisuke's hushed call, "this way!"

They met with Kisuke next to a large tank. Mayuri was there as well. Kisuke seemed to ignore Ichigo while Mayuri eyed him suspiciously. Ichigo looked away, unsettled by such unwanted attention.

Kisuke held up the end of a long row of papers making their way out of a printer. Ichigo found the printer to be attached to a large, bubbling tank. "That's. . . strange," Kisuke murmured.

"What is it?" Ichigo questioned.

Kisuke looked at Ichigo, blinked, then nodded at Mayuri. Mayuri spun around in his seat to face a keyboard and started frantically typing away.

Kisuke huffed. "I'm sure your father told you about the accident. Fortunately, Mayuri keeps copies of his equipment in this storage facility. We spent the better part of the morning collecting samples from the explosion. I waited until the tests were nearly complete to call for your father. I'm running a scan on Spiritual Pressure in the area of the explosion. The Soul Society thinks it was a malfunction which caused the explosion but I'm not convinced. I think that sabotage destroyed Mayuri's-"

Mayuri cleared his throat.

Kisuke sighed, "I think that sabotage destroyed _Captain Kurotsuchi's_ research facility. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Jinsei or Hayami who destroyed the original testing of the samples I got from you and Rukia, Ichigo. Which reminds me, I'll have to take more samples later, if that's alright?"

Ichigo nodded and took a step closer to Kisuke, trying to read what was in the man's hands, but Kisuke swiftly turned them away. Ichigo frowned. He wasn't one to make assumptions, but it felt like Kisuke was hiding the test results from him. "So, do you know who sabotaged the original tests?"

"I… don't," Kisuke admitted with a sigh. "These results are faulty and confusing."

"How so?" Ichigo asked.

His question was cut off as Mayuri scoffed. He glared at Kisuke over his shoulder, "Have the printer send me a digital copy of the results! You're clearly using the program incorrectly."

Kisuke shrugged and folded up the papers in his hands. He turned back to the machine and tapped the screen. He then flicked his wrist and the files moved from his screen across the room to Mayuri's.

Ichigo blinked and stared across the room. He couldn't quite see what Mayuri was doing from where he was standing, since Kisuke was in the way, but the man seemed intrigued by the sounds of his 'oo' and 'aa's. Ichigo turned back to Kisuke with a curious look.

A minute later, the analysis was complete. Mayuri released a soft 'hmm' as he leaned back in his seat.

"What is it?" Kisuke hopped over, leaving Ichigo and Isshin behind at the other computer. Isshin glanced at Ichigo, who shrugged. Kisuke leaned in close to the screen, "Did you get the same results as me?"

"Yes," Mayuri said slowly. "It would seem so."

"It's not a fault then?"

"Of course it's not! This is my equipment after all."

Ichigo took a step towards them. "What is it? What did the scan tell you?"

Kisuke looked up at Ichigo and laughed. "Oh, nothing you need to worry about, Ichigo-chan!" The shopkeeper took out his fan and waved it in front of him to dismiss further questions. "We're going to run one more test to make certain the results are accurate. Can you please get the Head Captain so we can give him this information?"

Ichigo turned on his heels to face the exit. "Okay. . . I'll be right back!"

As soon as Ichigo left the room, Kisuke shoved his fan into his pocket. "Mayuri, you're _absolutely_ certain this test is accurate!?"

Mayuri scowled and began the test over again. "Yes, I'm positive. The results are in and the only Spiritual Pressure which caused the explosion belongs to _him."_

"Who?" Isshin demanded, stepping up to the screen.

Kisuke slowly turned to face Isshin. "The machines, which we thought may have exploded because of Hayami's Spiritual Pressure, were actually sliced open by… a Getsuga Tenshou. They were destroyed by your son. It was Ichigo's Zangetsu that sabotaged my experiments."

All machines and lights suddenly turned off. Silence and darkness consumed the room.

"I see," Ichigo's voice echoed through the facility. "No wonder you were trying so hard to keep me from seeing the results. They all pointed to me?"

Kisuke frowned and quickly used a fire kido spell to light up the room.

"Show yourself, Ichigo," Kisuke said. "We don't want to hurt you. We just want to know why you destroyed the tests being done with yours and Rukia's reiatsu!"

"I'm not sure…" Ichigo murmured, stumbling into Kisuke's light. One hand gripped his head and the other held onto a machine so he could keep his balance. "Kisuke, I know it was me, but I can't remember."

Isshin moved forward. "It's alright, Ichigo. This isn't you. It's Hayami's influence." Kisuke noticed Isshin's fists clench and jaw tighten. His old friend was clearly feeling anxious, and taking the attack on his son _very_ personally. Isshin released a sigh as he spoke again, "Clearly you're being affected in a different way than Rukia. We'll put you somewhere secure and Kisuke will run another test. Then we'll be able to reverse what's happening to you."

Ichigo nodded softly before he dropped to his knees. "Wait!" He shrieked. "I remember! I remember when I did it, and _why_ I did it." Ichigo bent forward, his face hidden by the shadows cast by his bangs. His nails dug into the cement floor as he desperately tried to keep himself from losing control. "I had a realization last night. The Soul Society is broken. I'm on their beck and call even after I've saved their lives so many times. _No! That's wrong!_ It isn't, though… I deserve so much more. I've suffered so much!"

When Isshin's eyes turned to him, Kisuke gulped. He didn't have an answer. Ichigo seemed to be losing his mind. Was he still fighting off Hayami's influence?

"I couldn't allow you find out what was happening to me!" Ichigo snapped, turning a glare on Kisuke. "If you found out, then you'd stop it. I couldn't allow that. So, I waited until Rukia had fallen asleep, and then I snuck out. I followed your Spiritual Pressure, Kisuke, and discovered the machines you'd left running unattended. All it took was a single swipe and all your answers were completely taken away."

Kisuke flinched when Ichigo was suddenly gone. "What happened to you?"

Ichigo chuckled. "You should see the frightened looks on your faces. It's so much fun toying with opponents. Why didn't I see that before?"

 _He's lost himself,_ Kisuke thought. _Ichigo would never turn against his friends and allies. Nor would he think taunting his enemy to be amusing._

"Ichigo, please, listen to yourself!" Isshin shouted. "This isn't you!"

"Oh?" Ichigo tossed his blade at Kisuke, effectively breaking his kido and returning the room to darkness. "Are you scared of me, Isshin~? Scared of the monster within your son?"

Isshin frowned. "You're his Hollow, aren't you!?"

Ichigo grinned. "Yes. Very good."

There came a faint burst of light as a Getsuga Tenshou ripped through the air towards the three. Kisuke quickly put up his shield, saving the three Shinigami and the equipment.

Kisuke used his barrier's light to see Isshin. He grasped his shoulder. "Ichigo's presence just vanished. He's gone for now and there's nothing you can do for him at this moment so don't bother chasing after him."

Isshin grit his teeth. "What am I supposed to do!? I can't lose another member of my family to a Hollow."

Kisuke nodded. "Ichigo's Hollow is strong, we both know this, but we cannot forget that Ichigo has defeated it in the past. This is Hayami's doing. What we should do is take another sample from Rukia and use it to conduct an antidote. Then you can find Ichigo, apply the antidote and Ichigo will do the rest."

Isshin bit his cheek. It took all of his willpower not to chase Ichigo.

* * *

Ichigo gazed across his Inner World, in search of the familiar white Shihakusho of his other half.

 ** _"You're a monster, Ichigo."_**

The Substitute Shinigami turned around. He locked his gaze onto the Hollow with a grin. "I'm a what?"

 ** _"A monster,"_** the Hollow repeated, hoping to shock Ichigo back into his senses.

The orangette only chuckled. "That's rich, coming from you. In fact, I'd take that as a compliment."

 ** _"Stop this now, Ichigo!"_**

"Do I scare you?" Ichigo suddenly flashed in front of the Hollow. He gave a short gasp followed by a step back. Ichigo grinned. "I do. Oh, that's funny."

 ** _"Ichigo, you're not-"_**

"Shut up!" Ichigo snapped, leaning in to his Hollow's face. "I get this crap from them. I didn't expect to hear it from you. I'm not myself? And yet, this is the best I've ever felt. No responsibilities. No stress. No lives on my shoulders. Shouldn't you be proud of me? Isn't this what you've always wanted me to do, give into my instincts?"

The Hollow frowned. He hated himself for shaking, for showing weakness in front of Ichigo, but he couldn't help it. He felt the bite of Ichigo's sword across his stomach before he realized Ichigo had moved. Red stained white clothes as the Hollow dropped to his knees.

Ichigo kicked the Hollow's right shoulder which forced the Hollow onto his back. "What was that you used to call me?" he asked, stepping on the fresh wound.

The Hollow bit his tongue to suppress his growl of pain.

"You used to call me 'King'-"

 ** _"You are not my King!"_**

Ichigo narrowed his eyes and put the full force of his weight onto the Hollow's wound. He grinned in satisfaction at the other's cry.

"Call me your King, and I'll stop."

The Hollow grit his teeth.

Ichigo shrugged and dragged the tip of Tensa Zangetsu along his Hollow's arm. "Say it!"

The Hollow shook his head. **_"Please Ichigo-"_**

"Please _King_!" Ichigo corrected, kicking the Hollow across his jaw.

 ** _"Ichigo-"_**

The black blade plunged into a pale arm.

The Hollow screamed in agony. He panted to regain his focus, and noticed that Ichigo was backing away without his sword.

From the corner of his eye, the Hollow could see Ichigo's black Zangetsu had pinned his arm to the skyscraper.

Ichigo extended his left arm. The Hollow heard rattling. Golden eyes widened when his white Zangetsu responded to Ichigo's call, landing in Ichigo's awaiting hand.

"You belong to me," Ichigo murmured and pinned the Hollow's other arm in place. Then, Ichigo leaned in close to the Hollow's ear. "Say it," he whispered.

 ** _"I. . ."_**

Ichigo twisted both blades.

 ** _"I belong to you!"_** the Hollow cried.

Ichigo's smirk returned. "And who am I?"

 ** _"My King."_** The Hollow felt hot blood roll from his lips. He truly hated himself.

Ichigo nodded, satisfied with that answer. He removed his black sword from the Hollow's arm and left him there with his Hollow's sword still pinning him down. "You'll heal, right?"

A moment, then the Hollow whimpered, **_"Yes."_**

Ichigo placed his sword on his back. "Good. You'd best be in top condition when I call on you next, or else the consequences will be severe."

 ** _"_** ** _I understand. . . King."_**


End file.
